MINISTRY OF ECONOMY
AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
OF GEORGIA

“Georgia, as a country actively involved in international trade and economic cooperation, is interested in predictable trade relations and transparent procedures,” – the Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia, Genadi Arveladze stated at the negotiations for the Agreement on Trade and Investment Facilitation (CARTIF), the second round of which was held in the capital of the Philippines, Manila.

CARTIF will be the first agreement developed within the framework of CAREC (Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Program), the smooth operation of which will help CAREC member countries further strengthen their economic ties.
The goal of the agreement is to promote trade and investment between countries, reduce non-tariff barriers, develop digital trade, and strengthen economic cooperation. In addition to Georgia, China, Mongolia, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan are involved in the CARTIF negotiations.

In the second round of negotiations, the negotiating team from Georgia was led by Deputy Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Genadi Arveladze. The negotiators concluded their work on three protocols to the text of the agreement, which relate to investment facilitation, regulation of services and participation in value chains.

The Deputy Minister positively evaluated the aforementioned process and expressed hope that negotiations on other chapters of the agreement will actively continue.

According to Genadi Arveladze, CARTIF is an important opportunity for Georgia, as it will help attract investment and strengthen the country’s position as a regional transit and trading hub.